PHILLIES NOTEBOOK: Pettibone gets shot at filling in for Lannan

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies typically go with experience over youth, particularly when that youth hasn’t really put together a quality performance in the calendar year.

That said, the organization remains hopeful that Jonathan Pettibone has a future in their rotation. It probably isn’t in 2013, and this opportunity might last one start and one start only. But he will get that opportunity today night when the 22-year-old right-hander starts the first of a four-game series against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, replacing injured left-hander John Lannan (15-day disabled list, left knee).

The Phils went with Pettibone over Tyler Cloyd, who made six starts last September in the majors.

“I think it lined up well for him,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said of Pettibone. “He’s got stuff. He hasn’t pitched great this year yet, but his stuff has been good. His command hasn’t been great, but he’s been up to 92 to 94 (mph).

“He’s got good stuff and hopefully he has enough weapons and guile to pitch well for us. ... We’ll see how he competes.”

The Phillies would have liked to have seen Pettibone put a better foot forward this spring. In the same exhibition game against the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic squad that saw Cole Hamels torched, Pettibone pitched in relief and gave up nine hits and four runs in 2 Î innings. In his other outing against the Braves, he gave up four runs, including a pair of home runs, in two innings.

It hasn’t gotten any better in two starts for Lehigh Valley. Pettibone has allowed 21 base-runners (15 hits, five walks, one hit batsman) and 12 runs (10 earned) in 9 Ď innings.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee refused to say much of anything about Pettibone, since spring training was the first time he saw the Phils’ third-round pick in the 2008 draft.

“I’ll watch.”The guy who did impress those who were evaluating both in spring training and the early weeks of the Triple-A season was left-hander Adam Morgan. The non-roster invitee to spring training, who got the promotion to Lehigh Valley after making just six Double-A starts at the end of last season, is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA through three starts with the IronPigs. He will start Tuesday for Lehigh Valley. Depending on how Pettibone performs the night before, it will be interesting to see how many pitches Morgan throws. A limited pitch count could be a hint about who will make that next turn in the Phils’ rotation Saturday in New York.

No one seemed prepared to say Pettibone will get a second start.

“It depends on how he pitches I guess,” Amaro said. “I couldn’t even speculate.”

* * *Outfielder Delmon Young started his rehabilitation assignment Sunday with Class A Clearwater, going 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly at the plate in a 7-4 loss to Lakeland. However, the biggest concern for the veteran as he tries to become the Phils’ everyday right fielder after microfracture surgery on his ankle is his defense. In the seventh inning, Young kicked a ball as he tried to field a single, resulting in an error that allowed the lead runner to advance to third.

“Obviously we want his bat,” Amaro said, “but if he can’t play defense, he can’t play in the National League. He’s going to have to be adequate out there.

Young has 20 days to work out the kinks, although there’s a chance the Phillies would want to activate him April 30 to serve as a designated hitter when they play a two-game series in Cleveland.

The Threshers might have another veteran in their lineup starting Tuesday. That’s when Carlos Ruiz, serving a 25-game suspension for a failed drug test, can begin a five-day assignment in the minors to prepare for a return Sunday in New York.

However, Ruiz’s availability Tuesday will depend upon the condition of his left wrist, which was hit with a pitch during an extended spring game Friday.

“It’s doing much better,” Amaro said of Ruiz’s wrist, “I’m not sure if he is going to be able play again Tuesday or Wednesday, but I think we may get another set of X-rays. The X-rays were negative, but we’re going to check them again (Monday) and make sure he’s OK.”

NOTES: John Mayberry Jr. batted second Sunday night, as he and Dom Brown manned the corner outfield spots.

“I played John against (Tim) Hudson (Opening Day) and (Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook) is similar to Hudson,” Charlie Manuel said. “He’s been hitting the ball hard.” Mayberry entered Sunday hitting .324 with seven of his 11 hits going to extra bases. ... Pettibone goes against A.J. Burnett (1-2, 2.63) today. Burnett allowed one hit and no walks over seven innings in his last start. The Pirates are coming off a sweep of Atlanta.